Coastal Karnataka going into hibernation after 8 p.m. an issue in developing tourism industry in the region: Shivakumar

Coastal Karnataka going into hibernation after 8 p.m. an issue in developing tourism industry in the region: Shivakumar

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, March 5, 2025: Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday said notwithstanding ample opportunities to develop tourism, coastal Karnataka going to hibernation after 8 p.m. has been an issue that might be affecting the industry’s growth. Legislators from the area should come forward and give suggestions on improving the situation, he said.

Mr. Shivakumar was intervening during Question Hour at the Legislative Assembly in Bengaluru after Tourism Minister H.K. Patil responded to MLA for Byndoor Gururaj Gantihole’s question. Mr. Gantihole had urged the government to give special attention to coastal Karnataka while formulating the tourism policy.

Mr. Shivakumar said with the coast having ample opportunities to develop a variety of tourism activities, he and the Tourism Minister will hold a separate meeting with legislators from the region to formulate a policy. There was ample scope to develop the tourism industry in health, education, religious, and commercial sectors.

He said a majority of youngsters have got elected to the Assembly from coastal Karnataka. Mr. Patil has big dreams to develop the tourism industry in Karnataka and they have discussed the issue many times. What needs to be done was to collect the feedback from legislators in the region, which would be done shortly.

The coast slipping into silence after 8 pm was an issue of concern for everybody. Other than religious and cultural programmes, no other activity was seen at the night. There was also a dip in the number of students from the region joining higher education courses, Mr. Shivakumar said.

When Arvind Bellad, Dharwad MLA, asked Mr. Shivakumar to suggest what could be done beyond 8 p.m., the Deputy Chief Minister said if Mangaluru becomes silent after 8 p.m. means residents do not come out of their houses. Thus, no commercial activities take place. Though the region has the highest number of engineering and medical colleges in the State, the graduates do not work there and find jobs elsewhere. When any city did not have socialising and entertainment facilities, the youngsters would not show interest in residing in such places.